A Little Loonier
by Tatsurou-san
Summary: Sometimes, death is not the end. It is just the beginning of something new. When Ranma faces death, a strange being offers him a new chance at life...and he takes it. What comes of this will take him places he never thought he'd go, and to decisions he'd never believed himself capable of making...and to secrets he would have preferred not to know. M for later chapters.
1. Getting Frisky

1. Getting Frisky

My name is Ranma Saotome, and this is the story of how I died.

From what I've learned, if you're seeing this, you probably know a good portion of my story, at least how I got to this point, so I won't bore you with the details. Needless to say, after numerous battles, hurdels, strains on my sanity, and never being able to find a way out...I had given up on happiness. Heck, I'd mostly given up on life. Had it come honorably - saving others, or gloriously in battle - I probably would have welcomed death.

But not like this. I had climbed to the top of the building - nearly 50 stories - to try and get away from my fiances, and was out on the edge trying to convince them to back off. I'd no intention of jumping or anything like that, but it seemed fate had other plans. The part of the roof I was standing on crumbled, and I fell outward.

I tumbled a few times, too far away from the building to catch hold of anything. I could hear the girls screaming for me, but it was too late for them to do anything. I was too high up. At one point, I saw the ground rushing up towards me. As I continued to tumble, I looked upward and saw the penultimate insult added to injury. A piano had somehow wound up being pushed out a window and was going to land on me. Staring up at it, I couldn't help but laugh. "If this were a cartoon," I said in disbelief, having too much discipline to scream in fear, "this would be kinda funny!"

A voice spoke from nearby. "Ahh," the sound of a carrot being chewed, "why don't we do smothing about that, doc?"

Time seems to slow down as I turn my head to the side. A cartoon rabbit is standing on empty air next to me, munching on a carrot. He seems familiar...but then I realise the situation, and I can't help but laugh. "Great! Now, on top of imminent and humiliating death, I've gone crazy! Completely around the bend!"

"I wouldn't say so," the rabbit replied. "A little looney, perhaps, but then you always were, weren't you? If you'd care to embrace that, I might just have a place for you. And," he gestured to the ground, the piano, everything, "it would get you out of this situation."

I looked at the rabbit, thinking carefully. It sounded too good to be true. "What's the catch?"

The rabbit chuckled. "Well, for starters, we'll have to make a few changes, but don't worry. You'll be the better for them...in more ways than one."

Looking around, I realized I didn't have much choice. If this was all a delusion, might as well let it play out, since it seemed like fun. If not...it was my only chance to survive. "I'm in."

"Okay then." The rabbit pulled out a giant pencil. "This might feel a little strange," he said.

The last thing I saw was the eraser passing in front of my eyes.

0000000000000000000

I don't know how much later it was, but I came aware of myself almost totally bereft of sensation. I couldn't see, couldn't smell, couldn't touch, couldn't taste...I wasn't even aware of my body. But I could hear, sort of. It took a bit to get the hang of it, but I could hear what was going on in my surroundings. The rabbit was here, talking to someone who had a high pitched, squeaky voice.

"Thanks for helping me get this all set up, Mickey. I couldn't have managed it without you."

Mickey? I could have sworn I knew that name.

"Sure thing, Bugs. Glad I could help with this."

Bugs? As in...

"You sure this kid will give you what you want, Bugs?"

"Just look at the scripts, Mickey. They aren't even close to funny, but there's decades worth of them. How is he supposed to last that long without laughter...unless he's got it?"

"Bugs, you've been obsessed with finding the 'secret' ever since Roger...well, you know. This obsession is likely to be the death of you one day."

"Or maybe save us all. Thanks, Mickey. I can take it from here."

"Right." I could hear squeaky feet walking away. After a while, I could hear Bugs shuffling paperwork.

"So you want something from me, too, huh?" I thought I'd thought it in my head, but apparently not.

"You heard all that?" Bugs asked me. He sounded surprised...but not unpleasently so.

"Right after you thanked Mickey for helping you set it up, through your discussion of Roger...as in Roger Rabbit, right?"

A chuckle. "Yeah...looks like you heard the important part. But did you understand?"

"Not really."

"Alright, let me explain." He's quiet for a time, gathering his thoughts I suppose. "Toons need laughter. It keeps them alive, keeps them young. Not the laughter of other toons, but of their human audience. However, it's also a chain, in its own way. We have to be funny. If we aren't, there's no laughter, and we fade away. Except in one case. Roger Rabbit discovered a way for a toon to survive without an audience's laughter. He was as funny as any other toon - funnier, probably - but he didn't need laughter to keep him alive. When last I saw him, he was heading on a trip, and he said he'd tell me the secret when he got back. But then..." Bugs fell silent.

"...he died?"

"Worse. I don't really want to think about it. But anyway, I've been trying to discover the secret for myself ever since. Eventually, I broadened my search beyond the toon worlds. And that's how I found you. According to my research, if you become a toon through this process, you won't have to be funny to sustain yourself. I want to make you a toon so you can figure out why, and tell me. Then all us toons can be free to be whoever we want to be, irregardless of the roles that make us funny. In return, I offer you a life where you are indestructible, untouchable...free to do whatever you want, and be whoever you want to be. I'll even provide you with opportunities to do that, educational and otherwise."

I thought for a time. It seemed almost too good to be true...but I could tell he was being straightforward with me...as far as it went. However, the deal he offered seemed too good to pass up. "I'm in."

"Alright then." Bugs seemed quite pleased with my response. "In that case, you can answer a few questions about yourself so the adjustment won't be too harsh on your psyche." More paperwork shuffling. "First, do you want to go by your old name, or should we make a new one to fit the new you?"

A new name for a new me...it felt so right. "New."

"Alright, then. What animal would you say defines you?"

I didn't even have to think about it. "Cats." With the Cat Fist, what else could I say?

"Alright. Rate from most to least what qualities define you: aggressive, territorial, loyal, aloof, friendly."

I thought about this for a time. "...aggressive, loyal, friendly...aloof, territorial." It was hard to decide, but this seemed to fit right.

"Okay. Would you say you are a lover or a fighter?"

"Fighter." That was an easy one.

"Are you male or female?"

"It varies," I said nervously. Well, with my Jusenkyo curse, what else was I supposed to say?

"...excuse me?"

"I'm male, but I turn into a girl when splashed with cold water."

"...not anymore." A rather firm scratching of pencil on paper. "Whoever heard of a crazy plot device like that?" Silence for a time. "...alright. It's all ready. This may feel strange."

Strange didn't describe the half of it. I actually felt my body grow around me, as a sort of gooey sensation expanded outward into a torso, arms and legs, hands and feet, head and tail...tail? As my senses came active, I tried to get a sense of what I was turning into. Then my eyes came active, and I looked around. I was standing in what looked like a cartoonish principal's office, with a strange machine shutting down behind me and a full length mirror in front of me. I looked at my reflection.

I was a dark brown, cartoon house cat, with midnight black hair, and I was wearing my black kung-fu pants. My eyes were as blue as ever, and I could feel my muscle definition was as strong, but...I could actually feel my cartoon nature, how easily I would bounce back from any damage, or inflict damage far out of proportion of my size and strength. The feeling of power coursing through me was intense...but I eventually shrugged past it. I turned to Bugs. "So...now what?"

He smirked at me. "Now you attend classes. Welcome to Acme Looniversity, Frisk Paws. We'll see about drawing you up a homestead and other neccessities after class today."

"Frisk Paws..." I said, trying out my new name. It seemed strange to me, but I supposed it fit, comically...I assumed so, anyway.

As I left the office, I headed out into the halls. It was between classes, and everyone was heading here and there. I glanced down at the schedule Bugs had handed me on my way out. Apparently, I needed to head to 'History of Cartooning' after the lunch break...wherever that was. I noticed a lot of the other students - all toons - staring at me. I guess they didn't get a lot of new students. As I walked along, not really watching where I was going - this was all so new to me - I walked into something.

"Oomph! Watch where you are going, you blundering oaf!" a femenine, french accented voice said.

Looking up, I leaned over to help her to her feet. "Sorry about that." I took in her appearance. She seemed young, about my age or so, but generously proportioned...by toon standards, anyway. Like all those I'd seen - and myself - she was covered in fur, hers a bright purple with one solid white stripe. I didn't recognize what animal she was supposed to be. Her hair was a brighter purple, closer to the red end of the color, and her eyes were purple as well, though closer to blue. I found my breathing going a bit faster than normal. I couldn't deny it, by toon standards - the standards of my new life and apparently my brain now - she was breathtakingly beautiful.

"Well?" she said, one hand on her hip as she looked at me. "Aren't you going to zay anyting?"

I tried to think of something, anything, to say. In the end, I turned to my senses and honesty. "You smell nice," I blurted.

It seemed the wrong thing to say. At first her eyes registered shock, then outrage. With a "Hmmph!" she turned on her heel and stormed off, muttering to herself.

I sighed sadly. The bell rang. I followed the flow of students, and found the way to the right class. It turned out the girl I'd just met - and apparently offended - was in the same class. She resolutely turned her back to me.

That was the pattern of my first day. Follow other students, make it to the right classes, and try to keep up. The other students, however, all were so far ahead of me. I was feeling kind of down as school let out. I sat on the steps, sighing, waiting for Bugs to come tell me where I was supposed to go.

"Rough day?"

I recognized the voice. It seemed she was willing to talk to me again. "I'm still not used to all of this," I said honestly, gesturing around.

She sat down next to me. "First day of school?"

I shook me head. "First day as a toon."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, merce!" Then her eyes softened. "I must apologize for my outburst earlier. I...thought you were making fun of me."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Now I was really confused.

She looked at her hands, fiddling with the tip of her tail. "Did...did you mean what you said when we first met? Do you truly find my aroma...pleasant?"

Her scent had become stronger now, strong enough I could see it wafting in the air, a purple cloud. Taking a whiff, I responded honestly. "Yes, you smell quite nice to me."

She looked at me again, seeming confused. "You are ze cat, yes?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"And...you are aware zat I am ze skunk?"

I was worried now. Not becasue she was a skunk, but worried there was some rule about inter species stuff amongst toons, and that I'd commited a grave faux pas or something. "Is...is that a problem?" I asked at last.

She looked at me...and smiled. Then she sidled up against me, blushing. "If it is not for you, zen it is not for me? What name do you go by?"

"I'm Frisk Paws. Call me Frisk. And what's your name?"

She smiled at me, blinking slowly. "I am called Fifi le Fume, but please, call me Fifi...Mistah Frisk."

The way she said that sent shivers down my spine. Then Bugs stepped out.

"Frisk, it may take some time to draw up your own domicile, longer than I anticipated. And given that you have a lot of catching up to do in classes, I was thinking I should see who's willing to put you up as a room mate. That sound okay to you?"

"Oh, please Bugs!" Fifi spoke up. "He can stay wit me! I would happily tutor him, and I have plenty of room."

Bugs quirked an eyebrow at her eagerness, then turned to me. "Well, Frisk...what do you say?"

I smiled. "Sounds good to me."

My name is Frisk Paws. And this is the story of how I was reborn. 


	2. Settling In

2. Settling In

Darkness...everything is darkness...a flash of red...the scent of blood...the hunger...the taste of blood...a piercing scream...

The broken body lying before me, her blood on my hands, in my mouth...

"NO!"

CLONG!

I rub the top of my head, staring around at my surroundings. I'm in a somewhat wrecked car, refurbished into a kind of private room, complete with bedsheets, wash basin, and mirror. That's right, this is my room. I hit my head on the roof of the car sitting up too fast. I toss off my blankets, trying to shake off the nightmare.

Stepping out of the car, I stretch and glance around. The junkyard. This is Fifi's place, where she lives. I was a little surprised at first, but her explanation was quite straightforward. No one complains about her scent since it's lost in the junkyard, there's no rent, and she never gets bothered by sales people. I found that very comic.

Leaning back against the car door - maybe I should think of it as the door to my room - I think back on the nightmare. It was a lot worse than the ones I had back when I was human.

Speaking of, I still haven't mentioned that to Fifi. It kinda seems a wierd thing to bring up, saying I used to be something else. I'll...probably bring it up someday. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how I feel about her, beyond being a friend. I know I'm attracted to her, and she certainly seems to be drawn to me. She always seems to be holding herself back, though. Like there's a line she's trying not to cross. Maybe I'll ask someone about it at some point.

Speaking of, though, while she was leading me here, I found myself thinking she wasn't the kind of girl to take a guy home on the first date. I paused, then, and took a closer look at that thought. I was amused that that actually involved stopping time, stepping out of my body, and examining my thought bubble. Being a toon is certainly going to take some getting used to, but anyway...did I really see Fifi as someone I'd want to date? I just got here, after all. I don't even know yet what I want out of this life.

The nightmare, though...I shake it off. I've never been able to understand what goes on in my own head, why should I start now? Then I feel my stomach growl. Guess I'm hungry...but where do I get food?

Well, this IS a cartoon, and Bugs mentioned drawing up a house...maybe it's literal?

Pulling out a piece of paper, I quickly draw a cooked fish. I notice my drawing's gotten a lot better, realistic...for a cartoon world, anyway. Nothing seems to happen, though, even after coloring it. Pulling out a few more sheets, I keep going, drawing each image slightly different, using the techniques I learned in the animation class yesterday. I'm rather surprised at how much I actually absorbed in that class. Assembling the drawn pictures, I wait, but nothing happens. I knew it couldn't be that easy. Sighing, I idly flip through the pages.

A cooked fish - whole, like I drew it - drops out of the pages on a plate, just like I drew it. I can't believe that actually worked. Guess there are some advantages to living in a toon world. I eat the fish rather quickly, since I am hungry, and toss the head and bones into a trash can over the side of the fence.

I hear a mewling from the other side, and glance over. A blue cat with a white bandage around his tail is searching through the trash can, trying to find something to eat. It looks like my leavings are the best he can hope for. I remember what it was like on my martial arts journey with my father, always scrounging for something to eat. I feel for the little furball. Glancing down at my pages, I notice the fish images are still drawn. Holding them over the pavement next to the cat, I flip through them once more.

The fish once more drops out, landing in front of the blue cat, who jumps back, surprised. He looks up at me and mewls inquiringly.

I smile reassuringly. "Eat up," I say happily.

He meows happily and moves in to take a bite. A shadow appears around him. Looking up, he meows in resignation.

Looking up, I see the falling safe. I don't even stop to think. Remembering that first feeling of power when I became a toon, I rear back and swing with my claws extended. The safe falls exactly in half, the two halves landing safely - ...puns, the curse of toons - on either side of the cat. He's looking up at me in shock.

"Go ahead and eat," I tell him. "I'll watch your back."

Mewling happily, he hungrily devours the fish. When I see he's still hungry I make another one for him the same way. I wonder why Bugs never mentioned I could do this. I'll ask him at school later.

When the cat finishes eating, he looks up at me and extends his hand to shake. I shake hands with him, deciding to introduce myself. "I'm Frisk Paws. What's your name, little furball?"

He touches his nose.

"Your name is nose?"

He shakes his head.

"So what is it, furball?"

He touches his nose again.

"But I thought you said your name wasn't nose. What, nostril?"

He shakes his head again. He holds out a hand, one finger extended.

"Your name is one? Oh, wait, charades?"

He nods his head vigorously.

I put it together. "Your name is Furball?"

He touches his nose.

"Good to meet you, Furball." I chuckle. This place looks like it could be fun. "So where you gonna be around most of the day?"

He points in the direction of Acme Looniversity.

"You go to school?" He nods. "Me too. Maybe we'll share classes." He nods vigorously. "We do? Did I miss seeing you yesterday?" He nodded. "Yeah, it was my first day, got kinda overwhelmed." He touches his eyes, then holds his nose. "...is that your way of saying I spent the whole day staring at Fifi?" He nods vigorously. He touches his nose and meows questioningly. I'm pretty sure I know what he's asking. "I actually find her scent quite pleasant to be honest." He meows in shock. "I take it that's strange?" I don't need to speak cat to catch the sarcasm in his response. "Very funny, Furball." He chuckles. Then he starts making smoochy sounds. "We're not like that!" He meows questioningly. "Is that unusual?" I don't want to think Fifi is...loose, or something.

Furball starts meowing and making hand motions. It takes a bit, but I get the impression that Fifi has been...overeager, in the past, in search of love, but her scent has pushed most potential beaus away. Thus, Furball is surprised she hasn't been putting the moves on me, seeing as I'm living with her now.

I remember how it seemed like she'd been holding herself back, and mention it to Furball. "In a way, I'm kinda glad. While she's really pretty...okay, I'll admit, she's drop dead gorgeous, is really kind, and has done nothing but help me since we met...wow, if I were actually looking for that kind of relationship just now, I hit the motherload here, huh?" Furball meows, nodding. "But there's the thing. I'm not really looking right now. I mean..." I think of a good way to put it. "I was LITERALLY drawn yesterday, you know? I'm still getting used to being a toon, and...let's just say my character design comes with its share of emotional baggage. I'm kinda glad she's been holding herself back in that. I'm just not ready."

"I'll keep zat in mind, Mistah Frisk."

I flinch and look over my shoulder. "Eh heh..." I rub the back of my head as I see Fifi staring at me. I can't tell if she looks happy or not. "Umm..."

She walks up to me. "Mistah Frisk...I admit I am...unpracticed in a successful romantic endeavor. Most of my past experiences have been...less than encouraging, you know? The boys who are not skunks, zey are driven away by...le stink. Those who are skunks...le sigh. Zey have no eyes for me, only for thoze more beautiful."

I can feel my shock, and my mouth once more outruns my head. "They expecting Aphrodite herself to fall all over them?" I clamp my mouth shut, not knowing where...okay, I know where. I already admitted she's drop dead gorgeous, and she looked on the verge of tears. I could never stand to see a girl cry.

She blushes, and continues. "Thank you. At any rate, I had become rather...dizcouraged about finding zomeone who I could be with...and then you came. I admit I waz...over eager in getting you here, and have been holding myself back from my normal...agressive advances towards le amorous...I did not want to risk messing zis up." She looks up at me with a smile. "I will gladly take all the time you need to be ready...after all, we are toons. We have nothing but time."

I smile back at her. "Thanks, Fifi." Thinking back, she's just done more as far as winning me over than all of my former fiances combined. She actually listens to my needs, and works to meet them. I know it seems wierd to compare her to my former fiances like that, but this is talk of romance, and that's my only former experience.

The images of the nightmare flash through my mind, and I shudder.

"Mistah Frisk? Are you alright?"

I shake myself off. "Just a nightmare. Like I said, I come with my fair share of emotional baggage."

Fifi smiles. "All ze best ones do. Come on." She turns back towards her room. "We must get ready for school."

I groan. "Professor Leghorn's gonna throw another pop quiz at us. I just know it."

"Look at it anozer way, Mistah Frisk. I can introduce you to all my friends!"

I perk up. That does sound much better. "I'll just grab my stuff, then." I wave over the fence. "Catch you at school, Furball!"

He meowls happily and runs off. Guess he has to get ready, too.

Hope today's classes go better than yesterday's. 


	3. Hitting the Showers

3. Hitting the Showers

It's after gym, and I'm the showers, washing myself off. I was rather grateful to learn that being a cat didn't require bathing myself with my tongue. I'd have done it, but I'm still glad it wasn't neccessarry. In the shower room with me is Buster Bunny, Plucky Duck, Hamton, and Furball. The only other boys from our class group are Montana Max - who apparently has his own shower room shipped from home each day - and Dizzy Devil - who, apparently, never showers. That's alright with me, though. With Fifi's introductions, I've actually managed to become good friends with these four, and they made me feel welcome...some more than others, I'll admit. Buster tells me that's just Plucky being Plucky, though, so I'm okay with it.

Buster asks me a question as we scrub. "So I hear you actually like Fifi's scent?"

I smile. That's going to be the talk of the school for probably the entire year...or until something more interesting happens between me and Fifi. "Wow. You heard about that?" I grin to show I'm joking.

Buster smirks. "Everyone's heard. I'm wondering how. Think you can explain it?"

I fall silent as I scrub, lost in thought. I have a few ideas why this might be the case, although I don't know how accurate they are. I mentioned about scrounging for food while traveling with Pops. Given that all he'd give me to eat was rice, and beyond that it was only what I could find for myself, I was in much the same situation as I found Furball this morning. However, unlike Furball, most of what I found to eat was...less pleasant. My consumption of things most people would shun is what allowed me to develop my 'iron stomach', as it's been called. And then there's Akane's cooking - shudder - which tasted worse then it smelled, and generally smelled like open sewage or worse. Compared to eating that, Fifi's scent was heavenly. (I actually once got a skunk to spray in my mouth to get the taste of Akane's latest culinary attempts out. The week of eating nothing but tomato juice that followed was actually a relief, since it spared me Akane's further cooking attempts.) Now, all of this could explain it, but...how do I explain all of it to Buster and the others?

Sighing, I voice something that's been bugging me since I first thought about the whole 'new name, new me' thing. "I was drawn yesterday, but I have a lifetime of memories that precede that."

"Yeah," Hamton said. "That's your backstory. Every toon here's got one."

"But is it really mine?" I ask. "If I was drawn yesterday, that's when I came into existance, right? So how can I have memories from before then? Are they really my memories, or just something given to fill in the blanks? Can I really consider those memories a part of who I am?"

Buster's stopped moving. He speaks up. "Babs and I have been dealing with that issue for a while, off camera." He continues to scrub. "We still remember the day we were drawn, brought into existance fully formed. That entire day, the only memories we had were those we made that day. But the next day, things changed. We had memories of childhood, growing up, Babs even had parents, grandparents, and a horde of siblings. ...but is that really our lives, or just something we've been put in? We remember it...but there have been a few episodes where we've been brainwashed or mind controlled, too, so...how do we know if this is any different?" He sighed sadly as he went back to his hygeine. "We've never come up with a good answer."

"Ah, you guys are over thinking it," Plucky said as he washed. "We're toons. We're whoever we want to be, or whoever we're supposed to be. If the memories are pleasant, why deny them? If they aren't, why think about them? We're here to have fun and make laughs, and the why's more important than the how, right?" Plucky paused and noticed everyone staring at him. "What?" he asked. "Have I got something on my face?"

Buster shakes his head, grinning. "No Plucky. I was just wondering how your grades are so bad."

Plucky tilted his head. "What's that got to do with anything?"

We all shared a laugh. Admittedly, Plucky's best jokes are the ones on himself. I turn back to Buster. "In honest answer to your question, things in my backstory might explain it, but...as Plucky said, those memories are unpleasent, so I'll just put them out of my mind. I'd guess the most accurate answer as for why I find Fifi's scent pleasant is that I'm just drawn that way."

Buster nods. "That could be...but why?"

"Maybe the directors felt sorry for Fifi," Hamton spoke up. "Fifi just wants to find someone to love, but most boys can't stand to be around her because of her scent. The male skunks all consider themselves out of her league, which leaves her all alone. Maybe they decided she should get a chance at a relationship that can work."

I chuckle silently at that concept. Maybe that's why Bugs brought me to Fifi, whether he knew it or not. Maybe the Fates decided I deserved a chance at happiness, too.

"If that's true," Buster said, smirking. "Why'd they make you a cat?"

I look at him. "What else would they make me? A skunk wouldn't work, given what fates done to her before, so what else could they make me?"

"Well," Buster's eyes breifly flicker down and then back to my face. "Horse certainly fits."

I glance down at myself and see what he's talking about. "Oh. So that's why I'm the only one the dress code requires to wear pants."

"I wear pants," Hamton said defensively.

"As he said," Plucky piped up, "he's the only one REQUIRED to wear pants."

That manages to get a small laugh out of me and Buster, but we stop when we see Hamton's downcast expression.

Once we're dressed, we go to head back to class. Buster turns to me. "So...how far have you and Fifi gone...off camera?"

I look him straight in the eye. "Does this mean I get to ask about how far you and Miss 'no relation' have gone off camera?"

Buster bakcs off. "You're right. That was rude of me to ask. We shouldn't kiss and tell, after all."

"From your answer," I say with a grin, "you've done a lot more than kiss." As he starts to get defensive, I continue. "If it were just kissing, you would have answered. The only reason to back off is if Babs wants you to keep secret exactly how far you've gone. Stop me if I'm wrong."

Buster hangs his head. "Man...Babs is gonna kill me...I promised I'd keep it secret..."

Plucky speaks up. "So Frisk, did you sleep in Fifi's bed, or did you actually get any sleep?"

As he starts to laugh, I grip his head, claws extended, one right between his eyes. "I understand that it is in our nature to make jokes," I say, my voice low and dangerous. "However, I will not tolerate anyone slandering Fifi. Understand?"

"Gotcha! Gotcha!" Plucky obviously got the message. As I release him, he shakes himself off. "So, no joking about Fifi, huh?"

"No, you can joke," I say easily. "Just no insults."

"What's the difference?"

"Jokes are funny. Insults aren't." I pause. "On second thought, Plucky, you're right. YOU aren't allowed to joke about Fifi."

As Buster, Hamton and I laugh, Plucky glowers. "Ha ha, very funny."

Turning, we head to lunch, and to meet up with the girls - Babs, Fifi, and Shirley the Loon. Maybe we'll all sit together.


	4. Animaniacs

4. Animaniacs

Finals. God, how can one word evoke such dread in so many people? All of my classmates - myself included - are dreading what's coming. Admittedly, the only final coming up is "Intro to Animation," but that's a seriously important class.

I've been working on my final project for this class for quite some time, since I found out what it was going to be, in fact. I was a little nervous about it, considering I'd seen minor animation create real events, but when I brought that concern to Bugs, he told me there were safeties in place to prevent the student films from coming to life. He then questioned me in great detail about how I made the fish, and seemed...excessively pleased with what I told him.

Admittedly, my choice of material for the cartoon I'm making is...well, let's just say it's film noir, as they say. Or at least, it was going to be...until I noticed that nearly everyone else is making a comedy. I don't want to waste all the effort I went to making this - especially since I did most of it alone - by starting over, but I don't see how I can get a joke...

Actually, now that I think about it, there just might be something I can do. It will take some quick work, but at least now I can make use of the other aspects of animation...voice actors.

It doesn't take long to talk Fifi into doing the voice work for the cartoon, although she is plainly confused as to why I only need two lines from her.

Here's hoping it goes over well...or at least doesn't frighten too many people. But...I need to do this. Maybe the only way to get this out of my head...is to get this out of my head.

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It's the festival now. Buster is announcing the cartoons. So far, the judges - Daffy, Bugs, and Hamton - haven't had much good to say about what's been shown. We just saw Hamton's "My Worst Nightmare." It was the name of his toon that actually inspired me to make this. Here's hoping it goes well. Buster's on stage.

"And now," he says, "another toon of the film noir genre, coming from a new student." He looks at the card. "'Despair,' by Frisk Paws."

The toon begins.

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It's a silent toon, right at first. It's shot from the first person perspective, beginning with darkness. Then a text card appears.

"What happened? Why does it hurt so?"

The screen shows an effect meant to show the slow, blinking opening of eyes. I think I did a good job with that. The scene that appears is greyscale, completely black and white. Another text card.

"Where is everyone?"

The camera moves, bouncing to show a running gait. Another card.

"I smell blood..."

The speed of movement increases. Then the camera stops and suddenly turns. Another card.

"No..."

Buster and Babs lie on the ground, their faces full of fear and their eyes glazed with death. Their bellies are ripped open, showing the manner of their death. Another card.

"What could have done this?"  
"I have to get help."

The camera jolts along again, then tumbles. It looks very much like what you see when you trip over something and fall to the ground. The view spins, showing Hampton lying there, one arm missing and deep furrows across his face, showing bone. His neck is broken. Another card.

"It can't be. Why?"

Running again. It isn't long before others are discovered dead as well. Shirley, Plucky, Dizzy, Furball...each are found nearby, ripped apart. At long last, the camera reaches the junkyard. All is still. Another card.

"No...please God, no..."

The camera moves into the junkyard slowly. Two cars are set aside, seperate from the rest of the junk. One is done up like a room, Fifi's room. The other has been torn to shreds from within. The camera approaches Fifi's room. Another card.

"Please...don't let it be..."

The door is opened. Inside, Fifi lays there, lifeless, her neck a bloody mess, a deep bite mark plainly visible beneath the blood. The camera moves back. Another card.

"No...no..."  
"...why is my face damp?"

The camera looks down. A cat's paw - my paw - is plainly visible, the fur sticky with wetness. The tip raises to the camera. Another card.

"Blood..."  
"...I did this..."  
*CRASH!*

The camera spins. The bodies of the dead toons have risen, come to seek vengeagce. Their silent, shuffling approach would be easily outrun...but the camera sinks downward, as though someone had fallen to their knees. Slowly, almost afraid, the camera turns. Fifi's body has also risen, and slowly approaches. The camera's eyes close. Another card.

"I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry..."

...

*chu*  
...Huh?

The camera moves backward as color comes to the scene. In the light of color, it is plainly visible that the horrific injuries to the others is screen makeup, as I stare around at them. Fifi has leaned over and placed a light kiss on my cheek. She pulls back.

"Happy Halloween, Mistah Frisk," she says pleasently, the first sound from the cartoon.

In the film, I faint dead away.

Fifi looks at the camera. "Was it somezing I said?"

Last card.

"End."

0000000000000000

I can feel the shock and horror in those around me. It's so quiet in the auditorium I can plainly hear the judges comments.

Porky: "...I think I just wet myself..."

Daffy: "That boy is seriously disturbed."

Bugs is silent for some time. Then he speaks loud enough for everyone to hear. "Mister Paws, please report to my office after the festival. Buster, if you would be so kind as to introduce the next cartoon?"

"Yes, sir," Buster says quickly, running up to the stage. I can see the way my friends are looking at me. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

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After the festival, I report to Bugs office as directed. The last time I was there, I was being drawn. I can hear an arguement in the office.

"Bugs, that kid is dangerous! You saw that film he made! Can you really allow someone like that around the other students? He's a menace! A danger to us all!"

"Daffy, there are things going on here you aren't aware of. Leave Frisk Paws to me."

"But Bugs!"

"Daffy, this is important. There's more going on here than you know about...more than I know about, for that matter. I will find out what led Frisk to make such a cartoon, and then take what action I deem neccessarry. Please, Daffy, as my friend, leave this to me, I beg you."

Daffy was silent for a time. "Wow Bugs," he said at last. "This is a lot more serious than I thought." There was more silence, then he continued. "Alright Bugs, I'll trust you in this."

"Thanks Daffy. Send Frisk in on your way out, since he's right outside the door."

Daffy stepped out and glowered down at me. "Eavesdropping is a bad habit," he said angrily. "Don't let me catch you at it again."

I grinned. I'd seen enough Bugs and Daffy cartoons while human to know what to say. "Understood, sir. In the future, I'll make sure not to let you catch me."

Daffy glowered at me. "You're incorrigible." He gestured. "Get in there."

I went in, the door closing behind me. Bugs spoke up. "Why did you make that cartoon, Frisk? Where did you get the inspiration?"

I swallow. "It's straight out of my nightmares...nightmares I've had every day since I became Frisk Paws. I thought...if I put it on film, I'd get it out of my head."

Bugs nodded. "I see...where does the nightmare end and your creativity begin?"

I know what he's asking. "I usually wake up screaming after finding Fifi's body."

I notice a ghost of a smile breifly cross his face before he gets serious again. "And why did you give it the ending you did?"

"...the projects supposed to be funny, isn't it?"

"I see..." Bugs was lost in thought, staring at me. "The nightmares derive from who you were before, of that much I'm certain. If we can find what the trigger is, we may be able to purge the nightmares. Have you any idea of the trigger?"

I nod. "The Neko Ken training."

"I beg your pardon?"

I explain. "When I was six years old, my father put me through a training for a martial arts technique called the Neko Ken, or Cat Fist. It was supposed to give me access to a technique that would increase my speed and strength, as well as enable me to shred through most substances with my fingertips, as though I had powerful claws."

Bugs tilted his head. "I still don't see-"

"The training involved wrapping me in fish sausage and throwing me into a pit of starving cats."

"By Barbera!" Bugs gasped. "Your own father did that to you?"

I nod. "The end result of the training...instilled a pathological fear of cats. When the fear reached a breaking point, I would begin to act like a feral cat. It was only in this state the technique could be accessed."

"By Hanna..." Bugs whispered, his eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"That's why, when you asked me what animal defined me, I said cats."

Bugs shook his head, looking like he'd just seen a ghost, shaking all over. "Frisk...you were supposed to tell me what animal you wanted to be...not one tied to insanity." He managed to get control of himself. "At least, now that I know what's causing these nightmares, I can do something about them for you." He managed to calm himself down. "Shirley the Loon is good at helping people find balance in their auras. I think you should see her about stabalizing yours. Don't know how much good it will do, but it can't hurt. Also..." He looks me straight in the eye. "Explain to Fifi about the nightmares, if not the cause...assuming you haven't already. Having someone that close to help you deal can only be good for you. In fact, the more of your friends who know about your nightmares, the more help you can get." Bugs stood up. "I'll be looking into a few things, to see if I can do more than this for you. For now...go about your life as usual."

I nod. "I've mentioned the nightmares to the others already, although I hadn't gone into great detail regarding their nature...only that they made me fear becoming a monster, a threat to them. They...figured out before I came here that the film was of the nightmares."

Bugs nodded. "Our students aren't dumb by any stretch of the imagination."

I nod. "I'm glad they were understanding." I don't mention how they had reacted.

Buster and Babs had been quite understanding, surprised at the kind of emotional baggage I'd been drawn with. Both had said if I ever needed to talk with them about anything to give them a call.

Hamton had rested a hand on my shoulder, saying I shouldn't be afraid of myself, and that we all had our own inner demons to contend with.

Plucky had thought it was cool. Everyone had glared at him.

Dizzy had said that nightmares made him hungry, and suggested eating before bed to keep them away, and after waking to banish what made it through. Although we all laughed, I might actually try it.

Shirley had already volunteered to help me find balance with my aura. When I'd mentioned I already knew how to meditate, she offered to guide me through a deep meditative state to repair any damage my aura had suffered.

Furball hadn't said anything. He had merely rubbed his head against my hand, purring comfort.

Fifi had held me tight, making soothing, comforting sounds. Oddly enough, I found the fears inherent from the nightmares melting away in the warmth of her embrace.

Remembering that and something else, I turn back to Bugs. "There's one other thing. Even when in the grip of the Cat Fist Madness, I wouldn't bring harm to someone I trusted implicitly. If there was someone of whom I had no fear and held in deep regard, with that person I would behave as an affectionate kitten, curling up in their lap. Might...finding such a person here help to hold back the madness, and the nightmares?"

Bugs thought for a time, then nodded. "Quite possible. I hope a more permanent solution is found, though. And keep a reign on your violent impulses, alright? They feed this side of you."

I nod. "I'll remember." I turn to head home.

Home...I meant the junkyard...do I really think of it as home, now? 


End file.
